


Yeah.

by the_fandom_trash



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Laith, M/M, Mutual Pining, PINING KEITH, Post S7, brief adashi, flustered Lance, flustered keith, he aint, keith thinks he's smooth, kind of, klance, klance kiss, pining lance, see the end note for an explantion, they slow dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 04:22:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15878442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_fandom_trash/pseuds/the_fandom_trash
Summary: There was something in the way he said it. The way his voice lowered and flowed out of his mouth that reminded Keith of melted ice cream on sunny days and a tire swing swaying in the afternoon breeze. It made a weird, twisty feeling rise in his stomach and wash over all his senses until he was standing there, eyes wide and mouth parted just slightly as he looked at the boy in front of him. He stared in those blue blue eyes and felt himself falling. Falling, falling so far he was unsure he would ever find a way back up again. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to.





	Yeah.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally based off a tumblr post I saw about Lance saying "Axca's a lucky girl," but then it turned into something entirely self indulgent oops

The mission had been simple: get in, get out. The team had succeeded in rescuing hundreds of enslaved aliens, including the Queen of one planet. She had decided to throw a celebration in honor of Voltron’s victory and so they could formally declare their alliance. It was not like it was anything new, many planets threw parades or some form of thanks after a successful battle. This, however, was a different type of celebration. One that Lance had thought were mere fairytales like in Cinderella.

 

It was a ball. 

 

A full on, get dressed up in your finest garments, feast on the most decadent food and dance with the Prince, type of ball. 

 

Well, maybe not dance with the Prince, but what’s Lance to assume when he’s basically being thrown into the world of girls in formal gowns and expensive looking bedazzled silverware? You can see where he would be a little thrown off. 

 

Lance wasn’t exactly the formal type, either. He talked loudly - something he picked up after being in a household with three annoying older siblings - and, despite what many may think, he despised fancy clothing. He much rather wear his signature jacket and a pair of jeans rather than put on some itchy fabric that was two sizes too small.

 

Despite the many cons, there were plenty of things that Lance was looking forward to though. The food, for example, would be a nice variety after only eating food goo and whatever other somewhat edible thing Coran and Hunk had conjured up.

 

Lance was also excited for the dancing. It reminded him of his family, who would often times twirl around the living room on a late evening, the radio humming contently in the background. His mother would always swirl and sway to some soft tune while cooking dinner each day. On Christmas, Lance would play his guitar while his sister, Rachel, sang one song after another and the rest of his family danced on into the night.

 

Since being thrown into this galactic war, he had not exactly had much time to do as such, and he longed for the familiarity of his mother’s touch as they waltzed through the cozy atmosphere of their home. 

 

He was snapped out of his thoughts when a familiar face appeared in front of his. 

 

“Lance?”

 

“Hm? Sorry, what did you say?” he mumbled, taking a step backward as he looked down to where he was holding a navy bowtie. 

 

“I was just asking if you were okay. You had this weird look on your face,” Keith answered sincerely, shooting him a worried glance that went unnoticed by Lance as he wrapped the bowtie around his neck.

 

“Oh. Y-yeah, I’m okay. Was just thinkin’,” he answered. Keith glanced at his friend once again, a frown between his brows before he turned towards the mirror in front of him and attempted to do the same as what Lance was with his dark red tie. 

 

After a few attempts he hummed in satisfaction then turned back to the Red Paladin. 

 

“How do I look?” he asked hesitantly, his voice embarrassingly small. 

 

Lance’s head shot up as he took in Keith’s form, eyes wandering over every inch of him. The Black Paladin fidgeted uncomfortably under the blue eyes and glanced away with a scowl. 

 

Suddenly, Lance was right in front of him, hands reaching up to his chest and loosening the tie around his neck. Keith let out a soft gasp at the warm touched and willed away the blush that was surely working its way up his neck.

 

Nimble fingers worked quickly and effectively, tying a much smoother knot into the red fabric than what Keith had been able to do. Blue eyes were focused solely on the work he was doing and he worried the corner of his bottom lip.

 

After what felt like ages but was probably less than a minute, he pulled back, hands coming to a rest on both of Keith’s shoulders. Lance eyed him for one more moment before looking up into those violet eyes, a fond smile growing on his lips.

 

“Axca’s a lucky girl,” he murmured softly, but when Keith looked into those beautiful eyes he could see a layer of sadness underneath the otherwise happy guard he put up. 

 

It was not the first time Keith had seen it. He was brought back to a couple months ago when they had been held hostage in that Galra ship. It was a similar look to that of which Lance had given him when Keith had gone off to find Axca. Keith couldn’t understand what about her made Lance so sullen. Why was he even bringing her up now?

 

“Axca?” he asked, confusion lacing his words. When Lance didn’t elaborate, he continued. “What does she have to do with this?”

 

Lance’s brows furrowed. “You… I thought- Don’t you- You like her, don’t you?” He opened his mouth to say more when Keith burst into laughter. His shoulders were shaking beneath Lance’s hands, and he dropped them to his side, taking a couple steps backward, lips pursed. 

 

“Axca? Why would I like Axca?” Keith’s laughter finally dying down, though the amused smile never left his face. “I’ve liked someone else for- for a long… long time,” he huffed gently and glanced away, his smile turning fond.

 

Someone else? He couldn’t possibly like Pidge, Lance was sure of that. The whole team thought of her as their younger sister. But if it wasn’t Pidge, and it wasn’t Axca, then that only left…

 

“Allura?”

 

“What,” Keith wheezed.

  
“You like Allura?” he repeated, eyebrows still drawn low on his face.

 

“Lance,” the Black Paladin chuckled. “I don’t like girls.”

 

Now if anyone ever asked, Lance would deny ever doing as much, but that didn’t stop him from practically choking at the words. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened before he quickly composed himself and forced himself to look neutral. 

 

He did not succeed in doing so if Keith’s smirk was anything to go by.

 

“So uh… Hunk then?” he stammered, already knowing the answer.

 

“Nope,” he popped the ‘p’.

 

“Then is it, um- Is it…” he tried to think of anyone else that could possibly be the guy but was drawing up none. “What about Jam-”

 

“Lance.” He took a step forward and the Cuban boy’s eyes widened just slightly, mouth snapping shut with an audible click. 

 

“Y-yeah?” he stuttered.

 

He took another tantalizingly slow step forward until they were only inches apart. Blue eyes met purple and all of the sudden Keith was way closer than before, and woah, he was pretty sure that was Keith’s breath he just felt on his cheek.

 

“Keep guessing,” he whispered and just like that he was gone, brushing by Lance like one of those cool, cliche moves in a chick flick.

 

There was a soft click from the door as the other Paladin left the room and it was that that seemed to snap Lance out of his daze. He finally exhaled, not having realized he had been holding his breath. 

 

He blinked, then his eyes narrowed and he growled lowly. “Goddamnit, Kogane!” How dare he play with Lance like that, that ass! He was such a douche, no wonder Lance had created that rivalry with him. The dude was always getting on his nerves.

 

Except that wasn’t true. It wasn’t true and Lance knew it. Maybe, yeah, they had disagreements every once in awhile, but it was nothing like their old relationship. Now, all their teasing taunts were playful and fun. When Lance would have once rather died than touch his teammate, now he longed for the touch, his heart fluttering and stomach flipping from just looking at him. 

 

Lance had only recently come to terms with his feelings for Keith - after a long conversation with Shiro and his own mother’s chiding - but he had also come to terms with the fact that Keith did not, and never would, reciprocate said feelings. 

 

Now, despite Lance’s desperate attempts of blowing out the flame, he couldn’t stop a spark of hope from igniting in him. Maybe there was a chance, just a little one. 

 

Lance shook his head. No. There was no way.

 

He took a moment to regain his composure and then stood up and glanced at himself in the mirror one last time. He gave his signature grin and finger guns to himself and then took a deep breath, finally turning to walk out the door where his friends were waiting.

 

“Hey, took you long enough,” Pidge commented with a sour face. She was wearing an olive green dress with gold embroidery along the seams. Her hair looked like it had actually been brushed for once, and her glasses were perfectly clean, contrasting the usual smudges and specks on them.

 

“Well don’t you look beautiful,” he replied with a smile, ignoring the annoyed tone. 

 

Her mouth made a small ‘o’ in surprise before she her entire demeanor seemed to light up. “You think so?” she asked, almost shy. “I haven’t worn a dress in ages…”

 

“Yeah, you look great, Pidge,” he ruffled her hair lightly before having his hand smacked away. 

 

“You clean up pretty nicely as well,” she grumbled, averting her eyes. 

 

Lance laughed at her awkwardness and then turned to Hunk. “Buddy!” he started and his smile grew when Hunk turned to him with wide eyes. “You look amazing, dude! Shay would be swooning if she saw you right now.”

 

The blush and stuttering he was met with was more than enough for him and the rest of the team to break down into laughter. He tried his best to not look at Keith, knowing the butterflies that would start swarming in his stomach if he saw that beautiful grin. 

 

Luckily (or maybe unluckily), Allura chose that moment to walk into the room, blue and pink dress trailing behind her. Her hair was out of the typical bun she walked around in, replaced in favor of having it down, falling gracefully over her shoulders and back. Her blue eyes twinkled with excitement as she walked regally over to the rest of her team.

 

“Allura!” he greeted happily. “Stunning, as always!” 

 

She laughed and rolled her eyes, waving him off, but he could see the soft blush running across her nose. 

 

The team talked about for a few minutes before Allura cleared her throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “I suppose we should be on our way then. The ball should be starting any, what do they say on Earth, hour? No? Minute. Yes, any minute now,” she grinned, please with her correct use of the word. Since they had met the Paladins, she and Coran had been trying their best to learn “human slang” (their words, not Lance’s).

 

“Sounds great,” Shiro says with a smile, his human hand interlaced with Adam’s. “You guys behave yourselves though,” he continued, turning his gaze towards the three paladins who were having a debate over whether cake or pie was better.

 

“Yeah, you too, dad,” Lance replied without looking at him, waving a hand half-heartedly. “But seriously, pie is  _ so _ much better, what the heck, Hunk. I thought I raised you better.”

 

“Dad?” Adam questioned lowly.

 

Shiro shrugged. “Space Dad. You can be Earth Dad,” he whispered in response. Adam chuckled and squeezed his fiance’s hand.

 

“How about we’re  _ both  _ Earth dad’s?” he suggested, smiling fondly up at Shiro.

 

He returned to look in full, smile full of love and happiness. “I like the sound of that.”

 

…

 

Keith liked to think he was not the jealous type. Because he wasn’t. Not at all, not even in the slightest. Though there was something that had his heart beating angrily and his brows furrowed as he watched Lance and Allura twirl around the ballroom. 

 

It wasn’t even like it was a big deal. Lance had already danced with Hunk and Pidge, both separately and in a group. He had even gone out and done some weird (Altean?) dance with Coran. Even now, Lance was just teaching Allura a simple step pattern. So no. It was not a big deal. 

 

Except it was. Because Lance had one hand on her shoulder and one hand clasped against her own and they were both laughing and their eyes were alight with happiness. Keith wanted to be the one making Lance look like that, and the angry vines in his stomach seemed to agree. He bit his bottom lip until he tasted blood and then averted his eyes.

 

He shouldn’t be thinking like that. Neither of them were doing anything wrong, and it wasn’t like they were-

 

Wait why was Lance leaning closer? That wasn’t right, was it? No, he was way to close for that to be considered friendly. He couldn’t be overthinking this. 

 

Keith watched with a glare as Lance bent down a bit to whisper something into Allura’s ear, who giggled. He growled under his breath until Lance was suddenly pulling away and Allura was grinning like a madman and wow, was Lance walking towards him or was that a coincidence?

 

Within seconds Lance was by his side, signature grin taking over his face, though there was concern in the way his eyebrows dipped upwards.

 

“Yo, Mr. Grumps. What’s up?”

 

“Mr. Grumps,” he repeated and Lance shrugged with a small smile. 

 

“Can’t exactly call you Mullet anymore,” he added, reaching a hand forward to teasingly tug at a strand of Keith’s long hair, letting it go only to rest on his shoulder. 

 

He felt a blush crawl it’s way across his face before he spoke. “Shut up. I haven’t exactly had the time to cut it what with spending most of my time fighting in an intergalactic war.”

 

“Well it’s a shame, the mullet was kind of growing on me,” Lance smirked. 

 

“I thought you hated it,” Keith deadpanned.

 

He waved him off. “Opinions change.”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

They looked at each other for a moment, Lance’s hand burning in the most pleasant way where it still rested on Keith’s shoulder. He was about to say something to break the silence but Lance beat him to it.

 

“You never said what was wrong.”

 

“I never said anything was wrong in the first place,” he snarked back.

 

“Oh c’mon,” Lance groaned. “I know you well enough to know when something is bothering you.”

 

“Look, Lance, it’s nothing, okay? Just drop it,” he answered, his voice sounding rougher than he had intended. Suddenly Lance’s hand slipped away from his shoulder and dropped back to his side. Keith felt cold without the familiar touch. 

 

His lips twitched downward minutely. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.”

 

The taller boy started to back up but Keith’s hand shot out and wrapped around the Cuban’s wrist. 

 

“Wait, I- I didn’t mean- I just-” he stammered uncomfortably. “I just meant I don’t want you to worry about it. It’s nothing serious, anyway. I swear.” Keith said, voice softer this time.

 

Lance studied him for a moment. “But it’s my job to worry about you,” he answered, voice impossibly quiet, almost like he was talking to himself.

 

“What?”

 

“N-nothing. Do you wanna go dance?”

 

Keith ignored the abrupt topic change and looked down at his shoes. “I don’t dance,” he grumbled.

 

“Well now you do!” Lance exclaimed, grin reappearing on his face like nothing had happened. His hand slid up and into Keith’s, which had still been around his wrist. “Come along young padawan,” he joked as he dragged Keith into the middle of the ballroom. 

 

“Lance,” he hissed. “People are looking!”

 

The Red Paladin stopped and looked around. “Literally no one is looking.” Keith’s scowl deepened. “If you really don’t want to dance with me just say so. It won’t hurt my feelings, or whatever,” Lance said suddenly. 

 

“What? That’s not it!” Keith exclaimed, adamant on making sure Lance knew that was not the case. Quite the opposite, in fact.

 

“Then… What is it?” he asked with a confused frown.

 

“Nothing! I just- um- I don’t- I was serious. When I said I don’t dance. I- I don’t know how,” he looked away awkwardly, reaching up with his free hand to fiddle with his tie. “I’ll probably step on your feet or something…” he mumbled.

 

He felt his other hand be tugged down into a warmer one until both of his hands were between him and Lance. Keith looked up almost shyly, all his confidence from earlier seeming to have vanished. 

 

He was met with a warm smile. “Keith.”

 

“Yeah?” he whispered.

 

“I don’t care.” 

 

There was something in the way he said it. The way his voice lowered and flowed out of his mouth that reminded Keith of melted ice cream on sunny days and a tire swing swaying in the afternoon breeze. It made a weird, twisty feeling rise in his stomach and wash over all his senses until he was standing there, eyes wide and mouth parted just slightly as he looked at the boy in front of him. He stared in those blue blue eyes and felt himself falling. Falling, falling so far he was unsure he would ever find a way back up again. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

 

“Yeah?” he breathed.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Okay.”

 

He felt his hands being pulled up to Lance’s shoulders and then two arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. 

 

“This okay?”

 

He started, pulling a laugh out of Lance’s mouth. Keith realized just how much he really loved that laugh.

 

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, this is okay.”

 

Lance smirked. “Cool.” A beat passed. “So I’m gonna step backward with my right foot and you’re gonna step forward with your left,” he explained calmly.

 

After a few more instructions and Keith stumbling, he was finally able to follow Lance’s movements with his own. Eventually they were able to find a rhythm that suited the two of them, and the smile on Lance’s face made all of Keith’s embarrassment fall away. 

 

Keith could not find it in himself to wish for the way Lance looked at Allura, anymore. He realized now, that this was so much better. This was the look, this was the touch, this was the  _ feeling _ , that he had found himself constantly longing for. Now that he had it right in front of him he was afraid he would not be able to ever let it go. 

 

Soon, something akin to a slow song came on and before Keith could suggest they take a break he was being pulled even closer (not that he was protesting) and his heartbeat was skyrocketing.

 

Lance nuzzled his nose closer to Keith’s ear and exhaled lowly, his breath fanning over Keith’s neck and causing a shiver to run down his spine.

 

“This okay too?” he whispered and all Keith could do was nod, leaning his head further into Lance’s touch.

 

They swayed together and Keith had never felt so content, slowly leaning in closer to Lance until his cheek was resting on his shoulder, his nose pressed lightly against tan skin. His fingers made small circulets with his chocolate hair and a different pair of hands unconsciously rubbed circles onto the small of his back. 

 

He inhaled that familiar cinnamon scent and finally let himself relax completely, melting into the warm touch.

 

“I missed you,” Lance whispered and Keith felt his warm breath hit his neck. When he didn’t respond, Lance continued. “When you were gone with the Blade. It- It was… It was weird. Without you there, I mean.”

 

“Lance…” 

 

“And I mean I get it, I do. I’m glad you found your mom and got a cool space wolf and met Romelle, and I’m just- I’m happy for you, I am. I just- I don’t know,” he huffed, one of his hands on Keith’s waist tightening it’s hold. “I’m just really glad you’re here.”

 

Butterflies swarmed in Keith’s chest as he felt a smile grow on his face. “I am too.”

 

He could practically feel the happiness radiating off of Lance, and he bathed in it. He pulled him impossibly closer and and let his arms wander down the taller boy’s back, finally coming to rest on his waist, mirroring Lance’s grip on him. 

 

Although it took most of his willpower, Keith pulled his head from Lance’s chest and looked into those ocean eyes, his own, brimming with an unspoken emotion. 

 

“I’ll  _ never  _ leave you again,” he whispered, voice barely audible. 

 

There was a soft gasp from the boy in front of him but Keith barely noticed it because he was too busy writing sonnets for those eyes before him. He was too busy drowning in emotions that he had never thought he would feel before. 

 

Keith had never thought he would fall in love. After his father died he thought he would never be able to earn that feeling in his life again. 

 

Life continued to surprise him, though, one event after another. 

 

Because here he was, his breath caught in his throat and heart hammering against his ribs. Something swirling in his chest that was simultaneously terrifying and the best feeling ever, and that in itself scared him more than any life-altering battle could. No. Keith had never thought he would fall in love. He never thought he’d understand it.

 

Yet somehow it had snuck up on him in the most unexpected way, dragged him by fate’s strings and straight into the arms of someone he would have never guessed. Someone who loved with everything they had and would be there to pull you back to reality if you ever got to far too close to the ledge. The other piece of a puzzle he didn’t know he needed to be complete. 

 

It was in that moment that Keith realized, he had never needed to  _ earn _ love in his life. He just needed to start looking in the right place.

 

“Was it me?”

 

“Was what you?” Keith asked, still in a daze from his realization.

 

Lance’s eyes searched his and he felt his knees start to buckle beneath him. “Earlier. You said keep guessing.” He paused and swallowed. “Was it me?”

 

Keith swore his heart stopped in that exact moment. Lance was looking at him with his eyes open and portraying every emotion he was feeling and Keith? Keith was overwhelmed with his love for this man in front of him. 

 

“It wasn’t you,” he whispered, and watched as Lance’s face fell just the slightest. “Because it still is you. And it will always,  _ always _ , be you.”

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“Yeah.”

 

Lance’s smile grew and Keith knew he had said the right thing. “Good. ‘Cause it’ll always be you, for me too.”

 

The hands on his waist trailed up and up until a tan hand was cupping his face, index finger subconsciously tracing the scar on his right cheek. The other came to his neck, Lance’s thumb pressing lightly against his pulse as if to reassure himself this was real.

 

Their foreheads touched and noses brushed as Keith looked up through dark eyelashes and counted the constellations speckled across Lance’s face. 

 

“Can I kiss you?” Keith’s eyes flickered up as he registered what had been asked.

 

“Please,” he ghosted over Lance’s lips.

 

Kissing Lance was nothing like he had expected. Nothing like those angry kisses after one of them had done something stupid, or one of those hungry kisses that left them both longing for more. 

 

No. Kissing Lance was like the whole world around them had just ceased to exist and now they were the only two people left on earth. Time stopped and his brain short-circuited. 

 

They moved slowly against one another, sweet like honey and soft like clouds on a sunny day. Keith could feel Lance’s chapped lips under his own and  _ damn _ , he could get used to this. These soft and tender kisses were more than Keith could have ever wished for, and now it was all he wanted to feel. 

 

The kiss lasted only seconds but it was single handedly the best thing Keith had ever experienced. A tingling sensation lingered on his lips from where Lance’s had been just moments ago and his eyes fluttered open when he felt eyelashes against his cheek. 

 

“I want to do that every  _ single _ day of my life,” Lance sighed against him and Keith chuckled.

 

“I think I would be okay with that,” he agreed, nuzzling into that soft brown hair. 

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know this seems kind of confusing in relation to where the show is now, but I really wanted this to be in space and still after the Shiro/Keith fight. Basically I'm just saying that they went back to space to finish up everything and free the remaining aliens and blah lol
> 
> Anyway, please feel welcome to drop a comment, it's always appreciated!  
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